Status of leadership practice in secondary schools of ilubabor zone

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess the current status of leadership practice in secondary schools of Ilubabor zone. The study particularly treated the dimensions of successful school leadership practices such as developing shared vision and mission, motivating teachers, effective decision making, communication practice, professional skill development, evaluation of performance and factors that affect the school leaders in performing their activities in the school. To accomplish this purpose, the study employed a descriptive survey design. The study was carried out in eight secondary schools of Ilubabor Zone selected using simple random sampling technique. Then, from the sampled schools, 8 principals, 6 vice-principals, 52 department heads, 8 PTA chairpersons were included as samples employing purposive sampling technique. Furthermore, 82 teachers were taken as a sample through stratified and simple random sampling techniques and 5 woreda education officers were included in the study using purposive sampling technique. A questionnaire was the main instrument for data collection. Interviews and document analysis were also used to triangulate the data gathered through questionnaires. The frequency, percentage, mean and chi-square were utilized to analyze quantitative data gained through the questionnaires. The qualitative data gathered during the interview sessions and document analyses were analyzed using narration. The results of the study revealed that the school leadership practices were ineffective. School leaders were involved in leading the school without having prior leadership qualification and adequate training in school leadership. School leaders were also inefficient in promoting professional competence of teachers, creating strong school-community relationship, developing the school mission and vision, and evaluation of performance. Furthermore, the study revealed that: lack of qualified and well-trained school leaders, lack of training and experience sharing within school and with surrounding schools, inadequate participatory decision making, insufficient motivation of teachers and inadequate communication skill of school leaders were factors that hinder leadership effectiveness. Finally the following recommendations were forwarded: The Zone educational office, in collaboration with Oromia regional education bureau, need to provide educational leadership training to the school leaders to strengthen their capacity, awareness on the part of school leaders and teachers through in-service training, continuous professional development and experience sharing so as to improve their professional growth and teaching learning activities to alleviate the factors that hindered proper implementation of school leadership practice.